Snow geese are migratory birds that breed in the Arctic tundra of Canada and Alaska and winters in the southern United States and Mexico. The snow goose population has increased dramatically in recent decades, and as a result, the annual migration of snow geese across the United States is now one of the most impressive wildlife spectacles in North America.
The snow goose migration typically begins in late February or early March, with flocks of birds leaving their wintering grounds in the southern United States and heading north towards their breeding grounds in the Arctic. The birds travel in huge flocks, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and can cover hundreds of miles in a single day.
As the birds travel north, they stop at various wetlands and agricultural areas to rest and feed, providing birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts with an opportunity to witness this awe-inspiring spectacle. Some of the most popular locations for viewing the snow goose migration include the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri, and the Horicon Marsh Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin.
Though an awesome spectacle to witness, snow geese have become so numerous in some areas that they are causing damage to their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra. This has led wildlife managers to implement programs to reduce the population of snow geese in certain areas, in order to prevent further damage to the fragile ecosystem of the Arctic tundra.
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